Chapter 17: Deathmatch in the Ravine

The night wind howled through the narrow ravine, carrying the murmur of the rushing stream that sliced through the silence like a blade. Lin Jin and Su Yao pressed against a moss-covered boulder, their breaths held, bodies blending into the damp, frigid rock. Water droplets splashed onto their faces, icy and biting, yet masking the faint trace of their presence. A thin veil of purple flame seeped from Lin Jin's palm, silently devouring the encroaching green toxic mist, dispersing it into faint ripples of energy that shielded them. Su Yao gripped her short sword tightly, her large, bright eyes narrowing as she peered through a gap in the rock, watching the approaching shadows. Wisps of green flame flickered at her fingertips, poised to strike.

Outside the ravine, the middle-aged man wielding a flame spear sneered, his crimson blaze casting a sinister glow over his cold, angular features. He stood at the entrance, eyes sharp as an eagle's, scanning the surroundings. "You can hide, but you won't escape my grasp," he declared.

Behind him, three figures spread out. The whip-wielding man lashed out a tendril of blackened flame, sending it slithering like a venomous serpent into the ravine. The twin-blade fighter moved with ghostly precision, his chilling aura sealing off any escape to the left. On the right, the armored brute advanced, his heavy steps shaking the earth, his towering presence like an unmovable mountain. Their footsteps echoed through the stone walls, death inching closer with every step.

"Lin Jin, they're surrounding us!" Su Yao whispered urgently, her eyes flashing with tension. Though her delicate figure trembled slightly, she forced herself to stay composed. Her sword trembled with green fire, determination burning in her gaze.

Lin Jin gritted his teeth. His chest throbbed with pain—the wounds from his earlier clash with the fire tiger had left his energy in disarray. But he took a deep breath and whispered, "Don't panic. The Flame Soul Patriarch said we just need to hold out a little longer—Duan Hao will come." His purple flame intensified, devouring the poison mist faster, but sweat beaded his forehead.

"Hold out?" The Flame Soul Patriarch's voice erupted in his mind, filled with frustration. "Brat, you're facing five Flame Masters! How long do you think you can last? If that brute doesn't arrive soon, you'll both die here! Your only chance is to fight your way out!"

Lin Jin's heart sank. He turned to Su Yao, whispering, "I'll draw them away. You find a chance to escape and get Duan Hao!" His voice was firm, leaving no room for argument.

Su Yao's eyes widened in anger. "Are you insane?! If I run, you'll die! We fight together, or we die together!" She grabbed his arm fiercely, green flames coiling around her in defiance.

At that moment, the middle-aged man smirked and drove his spear into the ground. Crimson fire erupted like a tidal wave, surging into the ravine, searing everything in its path. The heat was unbearable, the ground cracking beneath its intensity. The mossy boulder shielding them blackened and exploded into fragments.

"No choice now!" Lin Jin growled, activating his Flame Step. Purple fire ignited beneath his feet as he pulled Su Yao aside, narrowly dodging the blaze. The residual flames scorched his left arm, charring the skin, pain lancing through his body. Clenching his teeth, he swung his wooden staff, unleashing a vortex of purple fire that clashed against the tidal wave. Though he managed to absorb part of the attack, the sheer force sent him tumbling backward, slamming against the rock wall. Blood trickled from his lips.

Su Yao cried out and leaped into action, her sword slicing through the flames. The Azure Luan Lightflame Art surged, green fire swirling into a defensive storm. The two forces collided, neutralizing some of the impact, but the backlash sent her staggering, breath ragged. "Damn it, this guy is too strong!" she gasped.

"Die, brats!" The middle-aged man thrust his spear again, conjuring another fire tiger, its blazing fangs baring down on them.

Lin Jin's pupils contracted. "Together!" he shouted. He launched a vortex of devouring flames while Su Yao's sword slashed, creating a net of green fire. The tiger exploded in a fiery shockwave, sending both of them crashing into the stream, their bodies battered and burnt.

The whip-wielding man saw his opening and lashed out. His venomous fire tendrils coiled toward Lin Jin like a viper. Lin Jin rolled, his purple flames consuming the poison, but the twin-blade fighter was already upon him. Two arcs of blade light crossed toward his throat.

Lin Jin barely dodged. One blade grazed his shoulder, drawing blood. Snarling, he countered with a thrust of his wooden staff, his flames hungrily reaching for his foe. The twin-blade fighter recoiled as his energy was drained, stumbling backward in shock.

Su Yao faced the armored brute, her rapid strikes barely making a dent in his defense. The hulking man swung a flaming fist at her. She flipped away, avoiding the devastating blow, but her chest heaved with exhaustion. "Damn it, he's built like a fortress!"

The middle-aged man sneered. "This ends now!" He lunged at Lin Jin, spear glowing with lethal intent. Lin Jin, his energy nearly depleted, had no time to dodge.

Suddenly, a thunderous roar echoed through the ravine.

"BASTARDS, DIE!"

A massive blade light cleaved through the air, crashing into the middle-aged man's attack with explosive force. Sparks and flames scattered as the spear strike was forcibly repelled. The man stumbled back, eyes flashing with fury. "You damn brute!"

Charging into the ravine, covered in blood, was Duan Hao. His broad-bladed weapon burned with scarlet flames, his battle-worn face alight with savage fury. "Brothers, I'm here!" he bellowed.

"Big Brother Duan!" Su Yao shouted.

Lin Jin, gasping for breath, pushed himself up. "Together, we fight!"

Their formation shifted. Lin Jin's devouring flames drained the twin-blade fighter's power, leaving him defenseless as Su Yao's sword struck true, piercing his chest. The whip-wielder was next, his venomous flames turned against him, screaming as he fell.

Duan Hao faced the armored brute. His blade swung in a wild arc, shattering the flaming armor and cleaving the man in two. Blood splattered the rocks.

Seeing his team crumble, the middle-aged man scowled. "Retreat!" He swung his spear in a fiery arc, forcing them back before fleeing into the darkness with the last surviving fighter.

The battle was over. The ravine was soaked in blood, the stream running red.

Lin Jin collapsed onto one knee, his left arm a mangled mess. Su Yao rushed to support him, her eyes filled with worry. "Lin Jin, are you alright?!"

Duan Hao wiped the blood from his blade, striding over. "Brother, hold on. I'll carry you if I have to!"

Lin Jin clenched his teeth, forcing himself upright. "No… We need to move. They'll be back." His gaze swept over the battlefield. Though victorious, the danger was far from over.

Su Yao nodded. "There's a hidden cave deep in the Molten Flame Domain. We can hide there!"

Supporting Lin Jin, she led the way, while Duan Hao took the rear, gripping his blade tightly. He cast a final glare at the ravine, voice thick with rage.

"Flame Sky Pavilion… I won't forget this."

As they vanished into the night, the looming shadow of greater threats crept ever closer.